Knife Flight: Why TSA Shouldn’t Back Down on Small Knives

Even if a terrorist could get to the cockpit and take over the controls using a folding, non-locking knife with a blade that is less than 6 centimeters long and ½ inch wide, there is no way passengers would sit by and let him fly the plane into a building.

But on Monday the beleaguered head of the TSA, John Pistole, temporarily backed down from his decision last month to allow small knives on board, saying he would reassess the move after he hears from a committee of passenger representatives, flight attendants and law enforcement officials.

Pistole has been on the hot seat since the announcement, under attack from politicians, flight attendants and others. But he still stands by it. “His thinking was and remains that the focus of TSA should be on threats that present the greatest risks to air travelers,” says TSA spokesman David Castelveter, “And those risks are explosive devices. It’s not his belief, nor that of the Intelligence community, that a pen knife would contribute to bringing down an aircraft.”

Think about the post-9/11 measures that have been implemented to diminish the danger from small knives: cockpit doors have been locked and hardened; air marshals ride random flights incognito; pilots carry handguns; and flight attendants have gone through self-defense training. Even if a terrorist could get to the cockpit and take over the controls using a folding, non-locking knife with a blade that is less than 6 centimeters long and ½ inch wide, there is no way passengers would sit by and let him fly the plane into a building.

Much of the resistance to the new rule has come from those who worry that a small knife might be used to hurt a passenger or flight attendant. In testimony, Pistole has pointed out that a broken glass, the heel of a shoe or the fork from a business class meal can do as much damage as a small folding knife.

Why let the knives on at all? The main reason is to bring U.S. rules into line with international ones allowing small knives on board. “[Pistole’s] intent to align our standards with international airline industry,” says Castelveter.

Everybody accepted the knife restriction and most probably oppose the change. It would be among the least of complaints about the TSA. In that sense, it's a don't try to fix what's not broken. I hope Pistole expends as much effort addressing real public TSA complaints, but not likely given this bone headed move.

If some loon is holding a knife to my throat on my next flight, a pistol-packin' pilot is not going to alleviate my situation--he might well shoot me rather than the guy with the knife. Neither is a random air marshall who may or may not be present. A weapon is a weapon and has no place on an airplane.

@krusherking Most knives are fundamentally tools not weapons. Look up the legal definition of 'weapon' to find the difference. It is naturally human to make and use tools and with a small degree of invention and skill many seemingly ordinary items can be used to cause harm to someone but are not a threat to air security. Support the change and let the TSA focus on the real dangers, not imaginary fears.